Andhra Pradesh

No alliance in Andhra for 2019 polls: Congress leader Oommen Chandy

Written by : TNM Staff

The Congress on Wednesday said it will not tie up with any party in Andhra Pradesh for the state assembly polls and general elections next year.

People of the state were not happy with the ruling dispensation (Telugu Desam Party) on the issue of special status, said Congress in charge for Andhra Pradesh Oommen Chandy after meeting party President Rahul Gandhi.

"The BJP and the TDP cheated the people of Andhra Pradesh on the issue of special status to the state. We have no intention to have alliance with any of the parties. Our alliance is only with the people of the state," Chandy told reporters.

Gandhi has said the Congress would decide on the special status to the state on the first day of its rule if the United Progressive Alliance comes to power, he said. 

Chandy also said people of the state were "very upset" on issues of GST and farmers.

The Congress had a huge stake in the state of Andhra Pradesh until 2014 but following the state bifurcation in the same year it failed to win even a single seat in the state.

The ongoing high-pitch political turmoil over the Special Category Status (SCS) for the state has also seen the Congress protesting inside the Parliament and in the state. Several veteran leaders of the party are also trying to assure that it is the Congress as a national party that would grant the SCS.

Earlier this month, a state-wide party review took place in Vijayawada in the presence of veteran leaders.

As many as 105 Congress leaders participated in the meeting, including former Union ministers, MPs, MLAs and district Congress in-charges. 

Speaking to the media after the review meeting, Chandy said that the Congress party was committed to granting the Special Category Status to Andhra as it had promised earlier in the Parliament.

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